Apparatus and method for combining physical activity and teaching

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides a method of facilitating physical exercise and a better understanding of a subject category, comprising: providing an interactive game for play by a number of persons; placing a device into a field of play by a first team, wherein the device provides to a second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or direction to be responded to by the second team; displaying around a periphery of the device a plurality of possible answers to the question; wherein placing the device into the field of play includes striking the device by a member of the first team for subsequent fielding of said device by the second team; and, wherein the member of the first team continually runs from one base to another base until at least the second team fields the device and answers the question.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to physical exercise, educational learning, and teaching aids, and more particularly to learning apparatuses designed to allow students to select subject matter and answer questions in a game-like setting involving physical activity.

Much of teaching and learning involves nothing more than the rote memorization of facts, figures, and dates. Subjects which are amenable to such rote memorization includes the study of mathematics, the alphabet, counting, spelling, geography, science, history, and trivia, are just a few examples. In each of these subject areas, the recognition of the need for repetition and memorization has spawned an entire industry of study aids designed to allow students to continuously practice the particular fact based area in which they are studying. For example, in the subject of mathematics, learning aids such as flash cards, times tables, dice games, and other such products have been developed to aid a student in memorizing the required relationships in rote fashion.

One such device which allows students to master the basic concepts of mathematics is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,019 issued to Wilson on Nov. 5, 1996, for an APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TEACHING CONCEPTS OF MATHEMATICS. This reference describes the use of a ball having situated thereon certain mathematical problems and solutions framed by a certain colored geometric symbol. This device, as with the use of flash cards, allows a student to randomly receive a mathematical problem and solution for memorization.

While rote memorization of certain facts may be necessary to the proper educational development of children and students, such techniques do not provide for the physical development of the person. In fact, such rote memorization devices tend to stifle and discourage a person's physical development because they don't promote or facilitate physical activity, nor do they allow for synergism between the components of learning and physical activity in a game-like setting.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of the instant disclosure to overcome many of these and other problems existing in the art. More specifically, it is an object of the instant disclosure to provide a new and useful learning apparatus allowing educational and physical development. Specifically, it is an object of the instant disclosure to provide a learning apparatus which allows for the development of a person's mind and body.

One aspect of the disclosure provides for an interactive game for play by a number of persons comprising a device to be placed into a game of play by a first team, the device provides to a second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or direction to be responded to by the second team. The game further provides for the device containing a display around a periphery for displaying the plurality of possible answers to the question. The device can be placed into the game of play by striking the device by a member of the first team whereafter the device is fielded by the second team and passed to an identified member of the second team at a target position.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of facilitating physical exercise and a better understanding of a subject category, comprising: providing an interactive game for play by a number of persons; placing a device into a field of play by a first team, wherein the device provides to a second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or direction to be responded to by the second team; displaying around a periphery of the device a plurality of possible answers to the question; wherein placing the device into the field of play includes striking the device by a member of the first team for subsequent fielding of said device by the second team; and, wherein the member continually runs from one base to another base until at least the second team fields the device and answers the question.

It is therefore a feature of the instant disclosure to provide an apparatus or device, such as a ball or other three dimensional geometric shape, having on the surface thereof information providing possible answers to questions seeking a response which is applicable to a selected subject category.

Yet still another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a new and more interesting physically active game utilizing a device containing information that displays possible answers to questions, directions, and/or inquiries for response by the participants.

These and other objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent to those of reasonable skill in the art from the following detailed description, as considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device according to the disclosure in the form of an essentially spherical ball;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the device according to FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 is an exemplary layout of a game area or field of play.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure relates to games intended for play by a number of people, including at least two teams, such as exercise games, social games, educational games, school games and the like, and particularly to a physically active game employing a device 10 to be fielded by one team wherein the device contains possible answers for each recipient or defensive player/team to a variety of inquiries, questions and/or directions to be responded to by the recipient player/team.

To be described in more detail hereinafter, the device 10 can provide an entertaining, educational, and physically active game for play by groups of students, adolescents, or children in various social and/or educational environments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the device 10 of the disclosure may conveniently take the form of a ball, for example, a ball of distinctive design as illustrated in FIG. 1, or a spherical ball such as used to play kickball, basketball or soccer, or an ellipsoid ball such as used to play football or rugby. Alternatively, the device may take any shape or form appropriate to the purposes of the game to be played, for example, a book, map or globe. Irrespective of the specific shape, it is to be appreciated that the physical device 10 be of such size, shape and weight that it can be conveniently and safely kicked, passed, tossed or thrown from player to player in a classroom, gymnasium, or outdoor setting (i.e. baseball diamond or field).

When placed into active use for playing a game, the device 10 may be struck, pitched, tossed, thrown, kicked, caught, etc. The game can be played by two or more teams or between several players, and the device 10 can be placed into a field or game of play 40 by an offensive or first player/team and then fielded by the defensive or second player/team. The second team fields the device 10 and can then pass the device 10 from person to person to a selected or identified team member at a designated position or target location 42.

It is to be appreciated that the interactive game provides a format for play by a number of people including the device 10 to be placed into the game of play 40 by the first team. The device 10 provides to the second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or direction to be responded to by the second team. The device 10 contains a display 12 around a periphery 14 for displaying the plurality of possible answers to questions or inquiries; and, the device 10 can be placed into the game of play 40 by striking the device 10 by a member of the first team whereafter the device 10 is fielded by the second team and passed to an identified team member 44 of the second team at a target position 42. The device 10 can comprise a ball for striking by an individual member of the first team and fielded by any member of the second team. Once the device 10 has been fielded and passed to the target position 42, the identified member 44 selects an answer to a posited question. While the second team is fielding the device 10 and answering the question, the individual member from the first team, after having struck the ball, runs to any base 20, 22, 24, 26 and continues therefrom running to any other base 20, 22, 24, 26 wherein each time the member of the first team touches a base 20, 22, 24, 26 a run is scored. The running from base to base of the first team member can continue until the question is correctly answered and thereafter the runner is contacted by the device 10. The plurality of possible answers displayed on the periphery 14 of device 10 can include a subject category selected from the group consisting of geography (refer to FIGS. 1-2), English, mathematics, science, sports, politics, religion, social issues, education, history, world affairs, morals, ethics and trivia et al.

Although not illustrated, a game device can include a plurality of numbers, equations, formulas, etc., that can be used to answer/solve questions for the subject category of mathematics. It is to be appreciated that a separate game device can be used that will relate to each respective subject category. It is also contemplated that a single game device can be used that provides for a plurality of wraps, covers, or ‘skins’ that can be interchangeably used around the periphery of the game device to change the answers for each associated subject category. The subject categories can be further adapted for a particular difficulty level.

The rules of the game can further provide for pre-determining a number of members of the first team and the second team that will each in turn strike the device while on offense, thereby determining the number of members that define a rotation and further define one half of an inning of the game. The device 10 can be pitched, from a pitching mound 30, sequentially to each pre-determined number of members of the first team in order to strike the device and to place the device into the game of play 40 wherein the device 10 is thereafter fielded by the second team and passed to a different identified member of the second team at the target position 42 for each member of the first team, respectively. The rules of the game can further provide for pre-determining a number of innings, or time duration, for a complete game and maintaining a tally of the runs for each inning and determining a winner of the game by comparing the tally of the runs of the first team and the second team and selecting the greater of the tally as the winner.

In a similar manner to the game described above, a method is provided for facilitating physical exercise and a better understanding of a subject category, comprising: providing an interactive game for play by a number of persons; placing the device 10 into a field of play 40 by a first team, wherein the device 10 provides to a second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or inquiry to be responded to by the second team; and, displaying around a periphery 14 of the device 10 a plurality of possible answers 12 to the question. Placing the device 10 into the field of play 40 can include striking the device 10 by a member of the first team. The member of the first team can continually run from one base 20, 22, 24, 26 to another base 20, 22, 24, 26 until at least the second team fields the device 10 and answers the question. The method can further provide that the running continue until a player from the second team forces contact between the device and the member of the first team.

The method further provides for an interactive game whereby the device 10 is fielded by the second team and passed to an identified member 44 of the second team at a target position 42. The device 10 can comprise a ball for the striking by an individual member of the first team and fielded by any member of the second team. Once the device 10 has been passed into the target position 42, the identified member 44 selects an answer to the question, while the member from the first team continues running from any base 20, 22, 24, 26 to any other base 20, 22, 24, 26 wherein each time the member of the first team touches a base 20, 22, 24, 26 a run is scored. The running from the first team member can continue until the question is correctly answered and thereafter the runner is contacted by the device 10.

It is to be appreciated that the game combines physical activity with learning in an effort to increase retention and promote exercise. The game includes running, throwing, catching, kicking, as well as, study, focus, retention and teamwork. The game can be played by two or more opposing teams with 3-15 players per team (for example) using a variety of devices or balls. In one exemplary arrangement, the ball can be painted as a globe with geographical features (FIGS. 1-2) such as countries, continents, cities, mountains, mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, oceans, seas, straights, deserts, jungles, etc. Other variations of the ball include mathematical equations and symbols, language and grammatical items and scientific equations and symbols (not illustrated). Prior to the game, one or two lists of items can be agreed upon as the subject categories. Each team can make up their opponents list, or share the same list. The lists can be provided in advance as study material.

In one exemplary method, the game can be played similarly to kickball except the runner can run the four bases 20, 22, 24, 26 in any order. Each time the runner reaches another or next base 20, 22, 24, 26 before being tagged out (i.e. touched with the device), a run or point is scored. The runner can run diagonally or to an adjacent base 20, 22, 24, 26 to score a run and can run back and forth between any two bases, but cannot move to the same base consecutively to score runs.

Prior to the device being placed into the field of play 40 (i.e. before the ball is pitched or rolled to the kicker), a teacher, game administrator, or referee 50 can tell the player 44 in the catcher/identifier position 42 what item from the list they must identify, or what question has to be answered by identifying the same on the periphery 14 of the device 10, when the ball is thrown into them. For example, the question posited to player 44 may be to identify the country of Canada. Wherein once the ball has been fielded and passed to player 44, he/she must show the teacher 50 where Canada 18 is located. It is to be appreciated that FIGS. 1 and 2 can contain geographical outlines, including distinctive colors, for continents, countries, islands, as well as, latitudinal and longitudinal lines, oceans, etc., which can be readily identified by the player 44. The subject categories, and associated lists of information/questions, can be maintained in a book or library of books. Alternatively, an electronic device can include a compilation of all of the subject categories in order to provide all of the information necessary to play any variety of games.

The method of play further provides that after the ball is kicked, the fielding team throws or passes the ball into the catcher/identifier 44 whom then must correctly show the teacher or game administrator 50 where on the device 10 the item or answer is located. Once the identifier points out the item, the fielding team can then hit or tag the runner with the ball to end the play and stop the runner from scoring any further runs. The entire team can work together to tag the runner. A score keeper can tally up the runs for that runner and add them to the respective team's total. The team with the most runs at the end of the game is the winning team.

The method of play can further provide for a field of play 40 wherein the ball can be kicked in any direction where there is no foul territory. It does not matter if the fielding team catches the ball or not, the play can continue until the item in question has been identified or answered and the runner tagged or contacted with the ball.

The catcher or identifier team member 44 can rotate with each new kicker from the first team. Everyone on the fielding team should have at least one chance to play the identifier position during the game. The amount of kickers per “inning” can be determined prior to the game. Examples could be each player on the team will kick every inning, or a predetermined amount of kickers will kick each inning. Each team will have an equal amount of turns kicking.

If the identifier 44 cannot accurately point out the item to the teacher 50 he or she may ask for help from another teammate, however, this can result in a penalty and add runs to the total the runner scored during this play. One exemplary penalty can be in the range of two to five runs added to the runner's score, but can be negotiated higher or lower prior to the start of the game. The penalty may depend on each team's confidence in their knowledge of the items as to how many runs are given to the other team if the identifier 44 solicits help from his or her teammates. The penalty should be equal for each team unless otherwise negotiated prior to play.

As an alternative to the device being a game ball, a flat map, for example, can be provided having the pertinent geographical items listed with labels. This map can be used in case the ball gets punctured and a regular kickball is used. Also, a book with information about each country, for example, can be included to enhance the knowledge of the students. Similar devices and books can be included with pertinent information displayed to coincide with the associated subject categories listed above.

The books can also be organized by difficulty level in order to choose questions from the subject categories that are appropriate according to the demographics of the team members.

Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the disclosure. The details of the structure and architecture may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the disclosure, and the exclusive use of all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims is reserved. 

1. An interactive game for play by a number of persons comprising: a device to be placed into a game of play by a first team, said device provides to a second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or direction to be responded to by said second team; said device containing a display around a periphery for displaying said plurality of possible answers to said questions; and, said device to be placed into said game of play by striking said device by a member of said first team whereafter said device is fielded by said second team and passed to an identified member of said second team at a target position.
 2. The interactive game according to claim 1, further comprising: wherein said device comprises a ball for said striking by an individual member of said first team and fielded by any member of said second team.
 3. The interactive game according to claim 1, further comprising: wherein once said device is in said target position, said identified member selects an answer to said question by pointing to said answer on said periphery while said individual member from said first team runs to any base and continues therefrom running to any other base wherein each time said member of said first team touches a base a run is scored.
 4. The interactive game according to claim 3, further comprising: said running from said first team member continues until said question is correctly answered and thereafter said runner is contacted by said device.
 5. The interactive game according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of possible answers includes a subject category selected from the group consisting of geography, English, mathematics, science, sports, politics, religion, social issues, education, history, world affairs, morals, ethics and trivia.
 6. The interactive game according to claim 5, wherein said subject category is selectively adapted for a particular difficulty level.
 7. The interactive game according to claim 4, further comprising: pre-determining a number of members of said first team and said second team that will each in turn strike said device thereby each said predetermined number of members defines a rotation and one half of an inning of said game.
 8. The interactive game according to claim 7, further comprising: pitching said device sequentially to each pre-determined number of members of said first team to place said device into said game of play wherein said device is fielded by said second team and passed to a different said identified member of said second team at said target position for each member of said first team, respectively.
 9. The interactive game according to claim 8, further comprising: pre-determining a number of said innings for a complete game and maintaining a tally of said runs for each said inning and determining a winner of said game by comparing said tally of said runs of said first team and said second team and selecting the greater of said tally as said winner.
 10. A method of facilitating physical exercise and a better understanding of a subject category, comprising: providing an interactive game for play by a number of persons; placing a device into a field of play by a first team, wherein said device provides to a second team a plurality of possible answers to a question and/or direction to be responded to by said second team; displaying around a periphery of said device said plurality of possible answers to said question; wherein said placing said device into said field of play includes striking said device by a member of said first team for subsequent fielding of said device by said second team; and, wherein said member of said first team continually runs from one base to another base until said second team fields said device and answers said question.
 11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: wherein said device is fielded by said second team and passed to an identified member of said second team at a target position.
 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: wherein said device comprises a ball for said striking by an individual member of said first team and fielded by any member of said second team.
 13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: wherein once said device is in said target position, said identified member selects an answer to said question by pointing to said answer on said periphery while said member from said first team runs to any base and continues therefrom running to any other base wherein each time said member of said first team touches a base a run is scored.
 14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: said running from said first team member continues until said question is correctly answered and further continues thereafter until said runner is contacted by said device.
 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: wherein said subject category is selectively adapted for a particular difficulty level.
 16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: pre-determining a number of members of said first team and said second team that will each in turn strike said device thereby each said predetermined number of members defines a rotation and one half of an inning of said game.
 17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: pitching said device sequentially to each pre-determined number of members of said first team to place said device into said field of play wherein said device is fielded by said second team and passed to a different said identified member of said second team at said target position for each member of said first team, respectively.
 18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: pre-determining a number of said innings for a complete game and maintaining a tally of said runs for each said inning and determining a winner of said game by comparing said tally of said runs of said first team and said second team and selecting the greater of said tally as said winner. 